Interstellar Rodeo closes on a stellar note

A bit of rain and chilly weather didn’t faze fans at Interstellar Rodeo on Sunday as the three-day music festival wrapped up its sophomore year at the Hawrelak Park ampitheatre.

The festival was scheduled to close with performances by Juno Award-winning folk-rocker Serena Ryder and veteran country-rockers Steve Earle and the Dukes. Sunday also included a performance by the Interstellar All-Stars, a one-day-only songwriter supergroup made up of Jim Cuddy, Danny Michel and Quique Escamilla.

“You have really hardy people here in Edmonton. Everyone just put their umbrellas up, no one left as far as I could tell, everyone was still up for enjoying it,” festival producer Helen Britton said of the inclement weather. “It didn’t kill the mood at all. People were drinking through it; it was amazing that people are so enthusiastic.”

Britton said people were lining up at 8 a.m. for Sunday’s noon opening, and by 9 a.m. the line had stretched all the way around the gates to the parking lot. Festival staff sold drink tickets, handed out wristbands and gathered feedback while fans waited in line.

“Some people, this is their second year and they kind of feel like this is their thing now, and that was really nice to see,” Britton said.